Quote:
Originally Posted by ECHOES
Okay, but actually, procrastination IS an action - it is a decision to not act, and there is a reason for that. (What if I fail? What if I look stupid? What if I succeed? What if I don't do it right? What if I am shamed/embarrassed/humiliated/etc? What if I make a fool of myself? What if the teacher stops liking me? .... )
When the more clear consequence of not doing the work becomes more evident, more real than the worries, then action is taken to avoid that (certain failure, etc).
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This is all true, but it doesn't solve the immediate problem. Being "motivated" by fear isn't sustainable. A healthier and less painful approach is to undercut the fear.
Many writers have similar problems with "writers' block" despite past successes. One technique many of them use is to set a time for work and stick to it whether it results in productivity or not. This separates any anxiety about the task from the action of engaging the task. It breaks the connection between feeling and motivation.
Also, many use the trick of always stopping in the middle of something, while the ideas are still flowing. They make notes so that at the next work time, they can pick up where they were, rather than face the blank page.